Peoples' Republic Sees Potential in Panda Byproduct

Apparently 70% of Panda dung is indigestible bamboo that has been going to waste. No longer, the enterprising Chinese are sterilizing it and forming it into souvenirs ranging from bookmarks to Olympic-themed statues of the animals, state media officials said Monday.

"Nothing says â€œI love youâ€ like a photo frame made from panda poop.

The Chengdu Giant Panda Breeding Base has come up with a dung-for-profit scheme that turns droppings from the endangered species into odor-free souvenirs.The facility in the southwestern province of Sichuan houses about 40 bamboo-fed pandas who produce less than a ton of excrement a day.

â€œWe used to spend at least 6,000 yuan ($770) a month to get rid of the droppings but now they can be lucrative,â€ Jing Shimin, assistant to the base director, was quoted as saying by the official Xinhua News Agency.